


Repairing the Future

by Xochiquetzl



Series: Briefly Thyself Remember [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Divination, F/M, Fix-It, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polyshipping Day, Telepathy, really old series that's been haunting me lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 18:17:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17249072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xochiquetzl/pseuds/Xochiquetzl
Summary: Severus and Sybill's experiments with divination change the Battle of Hogwarts and its aftermath.





	Repairing the Future

It was Sybill who came for him. Sybill and Tonks, of all people.

He was too weak to speak, blood gushing from his neck and snake venom coursing through his veins, but as Sybill conjured up a stretcher and loaded him onto it, and spelled a bandage onto his neck, she said, "I spoke to Remus a year ago, warning him not to harm you. He didn't need the memories, so they're still in Gringott's. Poppy and I have a plan; hang on."

He passed out then, but work up in the hospital wing. Sybill leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, much to his annoyance.

"I'll just go get Remus," she said.

"You'd better," he whispered.

#

"This is where you tell me why I just helped you save Snape," Tonks said.

Snape. The man whom her husband had gone after in Knockturn alley, and who had sent Remus back with scratches on his back and other evidence of sex Remus couldn't remember. She'd just saved _Snape_.

"No time," Sybill said. "It was my price. You paid it."

Tonks opened her mouth to argue. She knew that; what she was asking was why Snape was Sybill's price. Remus had never said anything about the two of them being close, although she supposed maybe he hadn't known. There'd apparently been plenty Remus hadn't known about Snape, even though the two of them had been....

Sybill didn't even slow down. "No time. We have to hurry to save your husband."

Tonks broke into a run to catch up.

#

Remus was fighting Dolohov on the Astronomy tower. He was outmatched and he knew it. He was tired and weak from the time of month, and out of dueling practice from months of nothing more strenuous than warding the house. He wondered if anyone was going to come and save him, and thought, _Probably not, no._

"Crucio!" shouted Dolohov, and it was worse than lycanthropy, worse than anything he could imagine. All thought and emotion ceased. There was nothing but pain and the now.

And then Dora and Sybill--Sybill?--were there.

Remus tried to get to his feet, but he was still breathless from the Crucio.

"Stupify!" Dora shouted.

Dolohov ducked, and shouted a curse with his wand pointed at Remus.

"Protego!" Dora flung herself between them.

And then both he and Dolohov were screaming. Part of the curse had hit his foot, but most of it had bounced off the shield and rebounded. Dolohov looked blackened and burned, and Remus' foot felt like it was on fire.

A crystal ball dropped onto Dolohov's head, knocking him unconscious.

Remus tried to get up, but couldn't. Sybill was there, conjuring a stretcher.

"But... the battle!" Remus struggled up onto his elbows.

"Don't make us stupefy you," Sybill said.

Remus passed out.

#

Sybill stood over her three charges. Severus was the worst hurt, of course. Tonks was uninjured, and Lupin's foot was badly burned but would recover in time.

Severus looked up at her. She moved over to his bedside, where Poppy was giving him a blood replenishing solution.

"You're lucky to be alive," Poppy said. "Those bite marks are closing faster than I expected."

"I've been taking antivenin for months," Severus whispered.

"Well," Poppy said, "your chances are good at this point."

Sybill stepped forward and kissed him on the forehead.

"I do wish you wouldn't do that," Severus said, his voice only barely above a whisper.

Sybill smiled. "I've got Remus and Tonks here, and they can look at his memories when the battle is over."

"Tonks?" Severus whispered.

"Yes, Remus would be very upset with me if I rescued him and didn't rescue her," Sybill said. "Do you trust me?"

"No," Severus said.

Sybill almost laughed. "I've seen your heart, Severus Snape, and you've seen mine. Trust me."

"What memories are these again?" Tonks asked.

"What really happened in Knockturn Alley," Severus whispered.

"Confundus, or Imperius?" Tonks asked.

Severus gave a bitter smile.

"What's so funny?" Tonks asked.

"That's exactly what your husband said in a rejected possible future."

Remus and Tonks exchanged an uncertain look.

"You'll see when I get back from Gringott's," Sybill said. "Promise me you'll wait here."

"We'll wait," Remus said.

#

When Severus awoke, Sybill, Remus, and Tonks were standing over him. Remus was on crutches. He looked stricken, and she looked like she'd been crying.

"Vault seven hundred and nineteen," Sybill said.

Ah. Yes. The memories of him telling Remus why he'd killed Dumbledore, and the desperate sex that followed. No Imperius or Confundus needed.

"You see why we had to stop you from hurting Severus," Sybill said. "You would have... reacted poorly... if you'd seen that after killing him."

Remus had taken his own life in that vision. Severus shuddered at the memory.

"I...." Remus took a deep breath. "Yes, I would have. You shouldn't have Obliviated me, Severus."

"I couldn't risk you being captured," Severus said. "No. What I shouldn't have done is tell you at all." He'd wanted Remus to know so badly. He'd been weak.

He and Remus exchanged an agonized look.

"Harry told everyone you were Dumbledore's man all along, too," Tonks said. "He showed us the memories you gave him."

"Probably not enough to keep me out of Azkaban," Severus said.

"We won't let that happen to you," Tonks said.

Everyone stared at her, including Remus.

"You're one of us," she said. "Have been, all along. And it would hurt Remus."

Surely no one was that altruistic. Severus peeked into her thoughts, and she appeared to be exactly what she seemed. He considered this a moment, then told Remus, "I always thought you must have execrable taste in romantic partners because you were involved with me, but apparently, I was mistaken."

Tonks almost smiled. "You'd better believe it, potions boy."

Severus decided that it was time to change the subject. "Now what? It's not like I can go to St. Mungo's."

"You won't need to," Poppy said. "You'll recover without, and Sybill and I can find a place to hide you until you're cleared."

"And then what?" Severus asked. "Parents won't want a murderous Death Eater teaching their children."

"As if it would be worse than some of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers they've had," Remus said. "For example, the one who had You-Know-Who stuck to the back of his head."

Severus thought it was very generous of Remus to not say something like, _Welcome to my world_ , but didn't point this out. "I could perhaps sell potions through a middleman."

"Apparently," Remus said, "I'm going to need daily doses of burn-relief draught for a couple of months."

Severus eyed Remus' crutches. "I could brew that in my sleep."

"I'd be grateful if you would," Remus said. "Er. Awake, if you don't mind."

Severus smirked at him.

"If you could brew wolfsbane," Tonks said, "I'd take that for rent."

Severus decided to take _You'd need to not fuck my husband, of course_ , as given. Pity. He still remembered the way Remus' hair and skin felt under his fingers, the heat of him, the smell of him, the taste of his lips. He wondered if it would be too awkward to live with his former lover and his wife, and then decided that it would be much less awkward than Azkaban.

"I happen to have extensive experience in brewing wolfsbane," Severus said.

"Excellent," Tonks said.

#

Remus leaned on his crutches next to the bed and offered Severus his arm.

Severus didn't take it. He swung his feet out of the hospital bed and stood. He wasn't completely stable on his feet.

"I've been fixing up a guest room for you," Tonks said.

"I hope it's on the opposite end of the house from your bedroom. Or, perhaps, in the attic or basement."

Dora blinked, but didn't say anything.

"You'd probably take it personally if I teased you about being jealous, wouldn't you?" Remus said, trying to keep his voice light and cheerful.

"Of course I'm jealous, you moron," Severus snarled.

Remus flinched. Stupid, stupid thing for him to have said. "Of course. Sorry. Forget I said anything."

"Forget the whole thing," Severus said. He tried to stomp back to his bed, but it came out more of a stagger. "I'll find my own place to live. Where are my clothes?"

Remus stepped forward, extending his hand. "Severus..."

"Don't touch me!"

Remus froze.

"All right," Sybill said, "It's time to lie back down."

"I don't want to lie down!"

"Fine," Sybill said, "but don't say anything rash, either. You're not well enough to be on your own, and Remus and Dora..."

Severus bared his teeth at her. "If no one will tell me where my clothes are I'll leave in my pajamas."

"Lie down and get some rest," Poppy said. "You're clearly overtired."

"You know," Severus said, "I should probably care that what I'm about to say will make me sound like I'm fourteen bloody years old, but I don't." He snorted in an almost-laugh, then said, "You're not my mother, Poppy, and you can't tell me what to do."

"I'm not your mother, I'm your nurse. Lie down."

Sybill gently pushed him towards the bed, and smiled when he sat.

"You're not my mother, either, Sybill." But he let Sybill push him back down onto the bed.

Sybill leaned over and kissed Severus on the forehead.

"I do wish you'd stop doing that," Severus said.

Sybill just smiled at Severus.

"I'm sorry," Remus said. "That was practically a romantic declaration, for you."

Severus closed his eyes for a moment, then said, "You're stupid and insensitive, and I don't like you."

Sybill's finger pressed Severus' lips. "Shhhhh," she said. "Shhh. He didn't mean it, and neither do you."

Severus curled his lip at her. "Not my mother, Sybill."

She just smiled at him, which made him scowl.

"It's all right," Remus said. "I know." He glanced over at Dora, who looked shell-shocked. He was probably about to make things worse, but... "I..." ... _love..._ "...care about you, too."

#

Severus opened his eyes as Sybill sat on the edge of his hospital bed. She brushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Can we at least take a peek at what would happen if I set out on my own?" he asked.

Sybill sighed and handed him his wand. He reached into her mind, and saw himself thrown roughly into a cell in Azkaban.

"Fine," he said. "And if I move in with Remus and his blushing bride?"

They were in an attic room done in green and silver, with a Slytherin banner over the bed. Severus and Sybill were standing outside the scene, watching Severus kiss Remus, both of them naked. Remus was stretched out on the bed, arching upwards, his hands twining in Severus' hair.

"My goodness," Sybill said, a bit breathlessly. "We should go."

"I could stay here a while longer," Severus said. He should probably be embarrassed for Sybill to see this, but found he didn't care. His longing was such that he was beyond shame.

On the bed, Remus moaned. "Severus...."

Yes. _Yes._

"You do know," Sybill said tartly, "that you're seeing that through _my_ inner eye, don't you?"

"Ah," Severus said, looking away. "Yes. Sorry."

They were back in the Hogwarts hospital wing then, but still connected.

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself, encouraging a married man to break his vows?"

_Wearing one of Lucius's dressing gowns--green silk, with the initials "L M" embroidered on the pocket--and holding baby Draco. Lucius and Narcissa, elegantly dressed, leaned down on each side to kiss both his cheeks simultaneously. He'd actually smiled at the gesture._

_"We won't be out too late," Narcissa said. "I'll miss my sweet little angel too much, won't I, Draco?" She kissed the top of the baby's head, too, and laid a hand on Severus' shoulder. Then they left._

"Just because the Malfoys openly share lovers doesn't mean Remus and Dora will."

Severus rolled his eyes at her. "Maybe not, but still. How do you know he's breaking any agreements? There's no sign of her. They could be divorced. She could be dead, for all we know."

"She's offering to hide you from the authorities, at great risk to herself, and you're wishing her dead?"

"I'm not wishing her dead!" Severus said. "I'm merely pointing out that you're making assumptions about the state and nature of Remus' vows."

"Good," Sybill said, "because I've seen your heart, and you're better than that, Severus Snape."

Severus sighed and opened his eyes. "You're still not my mum, Sybill."

Sybill muttered, "If only I _were_ your mum."

#

THE FIRST FULL MOON

Severus picked up the goblet full of potion and followed Tonks into her basement, where Remus was curled up in the fetal position in a cage.

"He's not dressed," she said, pausing at the door in front of him.

"I've seen it," Severus said, stepping past her and heading for the cage.

He heard, rather than saw, her miss a step as she followed him into the room. She rushed past him and opened the cage door with an _Alohomora_ , then rushed to wrap Remus in a blanket.

"It's possible," Remus said, his voice hoarse and weak, "that you might need some work on your social skills, Severus."

Severus rolled his eyes and handed Remus the goblet. "Drink this."

"And perhaps your bed side manner as well. What is it?"

"For the pain, you dolt," Severus said.

"Oh," said Remus. "Thank you." He drank it all. "Disgusting."

"Unfortunately," Severus said, "there's nothing I can do about the taste. It should take effect quickly, however."

Remus blinked. "I think you're right. There's a lot less pain. I'm very sleepy, however."

"I'm sure that between the two of us your wife and I can help you to bed."

The two of them helped Remus to his feet. Well, foot. They helped him to his foot.

They apparated, then half-carried him, half dragged him to the bed. Tonks tucked him in.

"If you need more, I have an entire cauldron full," Severus said.

"Thank you," Tonks said, and she looked and sounded like she meant it.

"Yes," Remus said. "Thank you, Severus."

Severus swept out of the room holding the goblet and climbed the ladder into the attic. He'd refused the guest room on the grounds that it shared a wall with Remus and Tonks' room and he didn't want to risk hearing them fuck, and had refused a basement room on the grounds that he didn't want to listen to Remus transform. The attic was large and drafty and had plenty of room for cauldrons and potion supplies, and he'd hung up a Slytherin banner.

The attic in Sybill's vision.

Ridiculous, really. He hadn't decorated his own house. Well. It was his parents' house, and he'd hated it and hadn't planned on living in it. This was different, in that he expected to be here a while, and be in low spirits.

There was a knock at the trap door. Severus walked over and opened it.

It was Tonks. "May I...?"

"It's your house," Severus said.

"It's your room," Tonks said.

Severus shrugged and stepped back. She climbed up and looked around.

"I'm a Hufflepuff, myself," she said. She smiled.

He didn't smile back. Her smile faded.

"I just... wanted to say that... I know things are going to be a bit awkward, but if there's anything I can do to help..."

He resisted the urge to suggest, _You could let me fuck your husband._ "I... appreciate that."

"I can tell that your potions were a big help, and I'm grateful," she said. "Maybe next month I can convince him to not sleep in the bloody cage."

"It's the baby," Severus said, carelessly. "He doesn't want to risk...."

Tonks was staring at him.

He started over. "I'll see if I can convince him that a locked door is good enough."

"You're a legilimens," she said.

"Yes, of course," he said. "Fortunately, it's voluntary." He shuddered. "Blocking it would have been a vital skill for retaining my sanity in my youth."

She grinned at him. "No pulling a fast one in your class, I imagine."

"No," he said, and found that he was smiling back. Well. More of a smirk, really.

There was a moment of silence, but it wasn't really awkward. Well. Maybe slightly awkward.

"If this drags on I can earn my keep selling potions. Well. I suppose we'll have to get Remus to sell them for me, but I know places in Knockturn Alley that would buy from him if he says he used to be my assistant."

"Do you think it's wise, him telling people he knew you?"

"I had an alias I used that I don't think either side ever knew, so he could give that."

"I've been reading your Ministry records," Tonks said. "I could tell you if we knew it."

He gave her mind a light surface glance--not enough that she would know. She was completely sincere, so he said, "Septimus Prince."

She grinned. "We didn't know that one, but I might have guessed that was you if I heard it."

"Not if you thought I was dead."

"True," she said, "but if Remus is going to be your bereaved assistant...."

"Hmm," Severus said. "I'm sure we can come up with a cover for your side, if they decide to question him, but unless you have reason to think anyone thinks I'm still alive...."

"We should probably polyjuice him," she said. "Just for the added level of safety."

Severus was surprised to realize that he liked her. "I can't imagine," he said, "where you're proposing to get polyjuice."

She grinned at him.

#

Tonks set the tea pot on the kitchen table. Snape reached past Remus' face to grab a piece of toast.

She stifled a laugh at Remus' expression. Snape must be feeling more comfortable. His table manners had been precise and perfect when he first moved in, and had become progressively more... Not worse. More aggressive, and usually directed at Remus. He was still very polite with her.

Snape finished his toast and poured himself a cuppa. "Let me have a look at that foot."

"Over breakfast?" Remus said. "Isn't it a bit disgusting for that?"

Snape rolled his eyes and pointed at his lap, and Remus obligingly put his foot on Snape's thigh. Snape started to remove the bandages.

Remus ate a bit of fried egg, then poured himself some tea of his own. "What's for brekkies? Oh, fried egg, toast, and the sight of my cursed, burned, and diseased foot."

Tonks giggled, and even Snape smiled.

The foot now looked perfectly healthy up to the arch. The toes were blackened, and the ball of the foot was grey and diseased-looking, but it was an amazing improvement. The burns used to go up to the ankle.

"You should be putting weight on this, if you can," Snape said. "On the heel, at least. It'll prevent the leg from atrophying too much."

"Yes, mother," Remus said.

"I'm not your mother," Snape said. "That'd be Sybill."

"No, she's _your_ mum," Remus said.

Snape shrugged. "Point. Well, unless you want Sybill for a grandmother, stop calling me mother." He re-wrapped Remus' foot. "I expect that to be completely better in a month, maybe two. Do you need more pain draught?"

"No, ta," Remus said. "Not unless I accidentally kick something again."

Snape snorted. "Avoid that."

"Yes, I will, thanks for that."

The two of them really were cute together. She would never have been able to picture them as a couple until she'd actually seen them together.

She waited until they were finished with breakfast, and then handed Remus the package of clothing and the jar of hair.

"Right," Remus said. "No time like the present."

Snape put the jug of Polyjuice on the table. Remus poured some into a teacup.

"Fried egg, toast, polyjuice, and the sight of my hideous foot," Remus said. He dropped a hair into the cup. "Bottoms up." He pulled a face. "Some day, you'll stop giving me revolting things to drink." And then he was a skinny teenager with pimples and greasy hair.

"I think the best you can hope for is fewer," Snape said.

"I think you're right," Remus the pimply-faced youth said, and stood and shook out the clothing.

#

Sybill swept into the house and kissed Remus and Tonks on the cheek in turn. "Hello, my dears. Severus and I are doing some experimental Divination and will need some privacy. I do hope you don't think us rude."

"No, by all means," Tonks said. "Since his being here is a secret, you and Poppy are his only possible visitors."

"I probably wouldn't have any, anyway," Severus said, then turned and beckoned.

Sybill followed him up a ladder and into the attic. She looked around. It was familiar, of course, from her vision in the hospital wing. She gave him a disapproving look. "Shall we?"

"What are we looking for?" Severus asked, sitting on the bed.

Sybill sat on the foot of the bed and shrugged. "Your continued safety."

 _A small dark-haired boy hiding in a cupboard while a herd of larger boys ran past. Herself, being pulled out of the Malfoy wine cellar by Severus. Lucius Malfoy, telling a teenaged Severus, "You'll never be bullied again._ They'll _fear_ you _._ " _And then, a subtle shift sideways, and..._

_Remus and Severus in pajamas, kissing passionately in this very room and falling onto the bed._

_"We only have a couple of hours," Remus whispered. "She'll be home at 5."_

_Severus kissed Remus deeply. "I love you." He moved down and began to unfasten Remus' pajama bottoms..._

Sybill sighed. "Haven't you come to like her at all?"

"I like her very much," Severus admitted.

"Then..."

"I don't know if you've noticed, Sybill, but my social options are a bit limited at the moment. My romantic opportunities are basically the two of them, you, or Poppy, and I happen to still be in love with him. Would you prefer I seduced her?"

_Severus kissed Tonks on the cheek. She blushed._

"I would not!" She made a face. "Do you have any respect for the marital vows at all?"

_A large, hook-nosed man stood over a cowering woman, while a small boy cried. "You're a freak! You and your boy, both! Freaks!" And then he backhanded her._

"None whatsover," Severus said.

Sybill sighed. "It's not always like that, you know."

"Like what?" Severus asked. "Legalized prostitution?"

"I meant violent," Sybill said.

"Your marriage didn't last."

_"No," young Sybill told her husband, "I won't take your name. Mine has a noble history, and..."_

Sybill made a face at him. "What if you left?"

_Severus, being thrown violently into a cell in Azkaban._

"Damn it," Sybill said. "Why haven't they cleared you yet?"

"They're not in any hurry to clear a dead man," Severus said. "They think they can take their time."

_The front page of the Daily Prophet with the headline, "Snape cleared of all charges," and a line under reading, "Order of Merlin, First Class."_

_The paper was laid on the kitchen table, and Remus said, "You needn't go, just because you've been cleared."_

_"No," Tonks said. "Stay. As long as you like. I really appreciate the Wolfsbane. It's made a huge difference. But if you don't want to, well, at least until you get on your feet."_

"Order of Merlin," Severus said. "That's almost as good as sex!"

Sybill tried to look stern, but she was pretty sure that she only looked amused. Finally, she laughed. "That," she said, "I approve of."

"Remus and Tonks will be fine fine without me," Severus said.

Sybill, still smiling, said, "Let's take a look."

_A man stepped out of a dark alley and pointed a wand at Lupin's throat before he or Tonks could react. "Werewolf," the man growled._

_Three more men stepped out of the alley. Tonks drew her wand, but there were footsteps behind her. More men._

_"We don't like werewolves marrying normal witches," the man said. "Give us the cub."_

_"No!" Tonks and Lupin said, not precisely in unison._

Severus winced. "What if I intervene?"

_Severus appeared in the alley, black robes billowing around him. He disarmed the man holding Lupin and began rapid-firing hexes. He was fast, so fast, but one of the thugs sent a hex at Tonks. It struck the baby._

_Tonks screamed._

"A little help, Sybill?"

_Severus appeared in the alley, black robes billowing around him. He disarmed the man holding Lupin and began rapid-firing hexes. Sybill appeared next to Tonks, snatched the baby out of her arms, and disapparated. Severus continued to hex, fast, so very fast. He, Tonks, and Lupin got most of them before Magical Law Enforcement showed up and arrested him._

_He was thrown into a cell._

"I may know a way around that," Severus said. "Let's run a few more variations."

#

THE SECOND FULL MOON

Severus handed Remus the goblet of Wolfsbane. Remus drained it and made a face. "Ugh." A second goblet stood on the nightstand, waiting.

Severus took the empty goblet and headed for the door.

"I want you to stay, Severus," Remus said. "It might take two of you to restrain me if...."

"Doubting my skills?" Severus said.

"No," Remus said. "It's an irrational fear, but it's the cage for me unless you humor me by staying as well."

Severus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, but he also sat on Tonks' and Lupin's bed.

"If I were inclined to doubt your Potions skills--which I'm not--I certainly wouldn't after seeing how the people in Knockturn Alley apparently idolized you."

"Love potions," Severus said, his voice heavy with contempt. " _Love potions_ . I might as well polyjuice as someone conventionally attractive and whore myself out. It would be less degrading."

Tonks blinked in shock, but Remus laughed. "Rond apologized profusely for asking for them, but apparently they sell well." He glanced over his shoulder at the window. "Ward the windows and doors, it's coming."

Severus murmured a spell and waved his wand. Bricks covered the door and windows. Together, he and Tonks placed strong wards around the room, locking the three of them in.

"Thank you," Remus whispered, and started to pant.

His eyes changed first. Severus wanted to look away, but he forced himself to face his fear, to watch. There was a glimpse of the body he'd been coveting for over a month, before it sprouted hair, changed. The sound of breaking bones and a kind of slithering sound of the skin moving and changing to accommodate the new form. Screams became howls.

In the other room, little Teddy started to cry. He stopped and whimpered instead. Sybill must have picked him up.

And then there was a wolf watching them with calm, intelligent eyes.

"I told you the potion would work," Severus said.

The wolf hopped over to the bed on three legs, a hind paw held off the floor. He leapt onto the bed, curled up, and closed his eyes.

#

At moonset, the process reversed itself. Howls became screams, which became moans. Severus and Tonks tucked him under the covers, and Severus gave him the pain potion.

"Stay," Remus whispered, and they both lay down beside him.

#

When Tonks woke up that morning, there was a long, tight black sleeve in her line of vision.

Snape was lying fully clothed on top of the covers, but his arm was wrapped possessively around Remus and his face was buried in the back of Remus' neck. Black hair spilled out over Remus' shoulder. She looked up and saw that Remus was awake.

"Don't wake him," Remus whispered. "It was selfish of me to ask him to stay."

The arm clutched Remus tighter and Snape nuzzled deeper into Remus' neck.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart," Remus whispered, more quietly. "This must be awkward for you."

"I'm all right," she whispered back. "It's okay. I know he loved you. Still does."

Remus winced.

"No, really," she said. "I don't mind if you two hug. Hugging isn't sex. Friends hug."

"We're not friends," Severus murmured from the back of Remus' neck. "Friends don't want to do to each other what I want to do to him."

Tonks took a deep breath. "I know you were lovers. I'm not going to ask you to stop thinking about that. Thinking doesn't harm anyone."

A dark, calculating eye peered over Remus' neck. "And if it's not too insensitive to ask, where, precisely, is the line I shouldn't cross?"

"Severus..." Remus started.

"No," Tonks said. "Honesty is probably better. However you define sex, don't have it."

"I should think," Snape said, not releasing his hold on Remus, "that your definition also matters. Otherwise, I might be tempted to argue that blow jobs don't count, or some similar sophistry."

"No genital contact," she said.

"You never let me have any fun," Snape said, but it was clearly a joke, so she smiled at him. He sat up. "How are you feeling, Lupin?"

"Like I was run over repeatedly by the Knight Bus," Remus said.

"Wait here," Snape said. He stood and picked up the goblet that had held pain potion and disapparated. After a moment, he returned with a loud crack. "Drink this."

Remus sat up and drank, then collapsed back down on the pillows.

"You say honesty is better," Snape said. "Do you mean it?"

"Yes," Tonks said. She wondered if she should brace herself for something horrible.

"Have you ever considered an open relationship?" Snape asked.

Tonks blinked. "I... What?"

"You needn't look so shocked," Snape said. "It's hardly unheard of. I was Lucius and Narcissa's third for almost a decade."

Tonks knew she was staring. She thought she should probably say something. "So, you and... Lucius Malfoy... were..."

Snape smirked at her. "Both of them, actually."

"I see," she said.

"It's all right," Snape said. "I wouldn't presume to think that you were interested in me."

Remus blinked at him. "What?"

"You should rest," Snape said. "And discuss it among yourselves after Remus is feeling better. He's probably a bit impaired right now."

"I.. no," Remus said. "Well. Maybe, but I'm not going to... I want to hear the rest of this."

"I'm not sure there's a 'rest of this,'" Severus said. "I thought it was obvious. I'm suggesting that the two of you continue as you were, only with an agreement regarding me."

"Is this... a thing you do?" Tonks asked. "Get involved with married couples?"

"I don't think once qualifies as 'a thing I do,'" Severus said. "But it worked well enough for us at the time."

"Why did you end things with the Malfoys?" Remus asked. "When did you end things with the Malfoys? You weren't seeing them when you were seeing me, were you?"

"Nosy," Severus said, and smirked. "But no. It ended before I started seeing you. Well. We didn't end things, technically. Things just kind of... stopped. Child-rearing apparently takes a lot of time, and I lived at Hogwarts and didn't see them as often, and...."

"Don't you want to get married someday?" Tonks asked. "Have a family of your own?"

"Oh, fuck no," Severus said. "If you'd lived with my parents, you wouldn't want to get married, either. You'd want to keep your escape routes open."

Tonks didn't know what to say to that, but she thought it was sad. His parents must have been very unhappy.

#

Tonks took Remus' hand and led him down the street. "I was thinking dinner," she said, balancing Teddy on her hip.

"That sounds lovely," Remus said. He was limping a bit, but only barely.

As they passed a dark alley, a man stepped out. He had a wand pointed at Remus' throat before she could free her non-baby-holding hand and get her wand.

"Werewolf," the man growled.

Three more men stepped out of the alley. Tonks drew her wand, but there were footsteps behind her. More men. Four? Five? She didn't turn and look. Her eyes were on the one holding her husband. Five. She could tell where they were from sound.

"We don't like werewolves marrying normal witches," the man said. "Give us the cub."

"No!" she and Remus said at the same time.

She and the man holding the wand on her husband glared at each other. There was a silence while she waited for someone to make a move.

 _*Crack!*_ The pimply teenaged boy Remus polyjuiced as to sell Snape's potions appeared on the alley. Snape? He had the man with the wand on Remus disarmed almost immediately. Remus struggled free and got his own wand.

The new arrival was good. Fast, a blur. Almost like he knew what people were going to do before they did it. She and Remus were doing their best to help, but...

 _*Crack!*_ A second copy of the teenaged boy snatched Teddy out of Tonks' arms. She struggled, but the boy whispered, "Trust me." _*Crack!*_ He disapparated again. There was a distant crack, coming from somewhere above, but her attention was all for battle now. She was no slouch at fighting herself, and without a baby on her hip to protect she could move faster.

Their attackers were all down now, on the ground, unconscious. She turned to the teenager.

 _*Crack!*_ Dawlish and Magical Law Enforcement.

The teenager grinned at Dawlish, made an obscene gesture, and... _*Crack!*_

 _*Crack!*_ The second copy of the teenager appeared next to Tonks, handed her the baby, and... _*Crack!*_

"What in the bloody hell?" Dawlish asked.

#

Severus waited with Sybill at the kitchen table. Surely, they'd be home after they finished their report. They'd changed back into their regular clothes and were waiting for the Polyjuice to wear off.

Remus and Tonks came in. They stopped when they saw the two of them, and then Tonks said, "I knew it."

"That's not what you told Dawlish," Remus said.

"Of course it's not." She bounced the baby a couple of times, then handed him to his father. Then she rushed forward and hugged Snape. He was stiff and awkward in her arms, but didn't seem completely displeased. "Thank you," she said. "How did you know?"

"Experimental Divination," Snape said.

Tonks said, "I think I'm going to need more of an explanation than that."

"We could try to show them," Sybill said.

"I'm not certain that would work."

"You have a Pensieve," she said.

He led them upstairs into his room. Sybill pulled out some memories and dropped them into the Pensieve. Tonks handed Teddy to Sybill and took Remus' hand, then looked inside.

_The forest. Evening. Remus pointed a wand at Severus. "Reducto."_

_Severus flew backwards, and struck a stone wall. His wand flew a few feet away. "Hello, Remus."_

_Remus cast Reducto again and again, but he was sobbing. Severus never lifted a hand to defend himself._

_The others found Remus there, crying. They held him and told him he'd done the right thing. He almost believed it, until the memories arrived in a little bottle from Gringott's._

_Remus loaded a gun and pointed it at his own head._

Severus grabbed them by the shoulders and pulled them out. "I wouldn't have shown them that." He looked over at Tonks, who had a hand pressed to her mouth.

"What was it?" she asked, her voice barely over a whisper.

"A rejected timeline," he said.

"How are you doing this?" Remus asked.

"Some kind of synergy between legilimency and Sybill's prophetic gifts, I think," Severus said. "I don't fully understand it, myself, but it seems to be quite accurate."

"Remus would have died," Tonks said.

"Yes." There was no point in denying it.

"And you saved him from Dolohov."

"No," Severus said, "you did."

"Based on your information!" Tonks said. "And the thugs in the park!"

"They wouldn't have killed Remus," Sybill said.

"Sybill," Severus growled.

"A stray spell hit Teddy," Sybill continued.

A tear slid down Tonks' cheek.

"Sybill," Severus said, taking a step towards her. "Stop."

"You wanted to know why he was my price," Sybill said. "The selfish reason is that we can predict things together that I could never predict on my own. This is the unselfish reason."

"This is what you do," Tonks said, walking towards Severus. "You save him. You save us."

Severus shrugged and looked away, uncomfortable.

"You save him," she said. "And I'd worried that the two of you might... He would be dead without you. It seems almost unimportant next to that."

Sybill blinked.

Severus, unfortunately, didn't even have it in himself to feel smug. "I'm not taking advantage of anything you say in a state of shock."

Tonks sniffled. "You're just proving that I'm right!"

"I'm not being noble," Severus said. "Things would end badly. If all I wanted was one night, that would be one thing, but for something long-term..."

"Oh, yes," she said. "Very pragmatic." She smirked at him, then looked over her shoulder at Remus.

Remus stood silent, looking stunned and hopeful, like he was afraid to say anything to jinx the situation. He averted his eyes from Tonks--avoiding eye contact?

"Let's not discuss this further tonight," Severus said. "The two of you should sleep on the matter."

#

When Tonks went downstairs the next morning, she found Remus and Severus already sitting at the kitchen table. Snape had made breakfast--tea and porridge--and silently handed her a cup and bowl as she sat down.

"Ta," she said.

They ate breakfast in companionable silence, and then Snape said, "Did you mean what you said last night?"

"Yes," she said. Her voice was more confident than she felt, but she was all right with that.

Snape set down his cup and sat very still, then said, "Very well. I'd like to make certain that we're all in agreement on certain points, if that's all right with you."

She nodded, curious about where he might be confused. She'd thought she's made her meaning plain.

"Are there any particular... activities... you'd rather we didn't do?"

She blinked. "I'd... rather have as little information as possible on that point, actually."

"So, no love bites or other visible marks. Would you prefer we confine ourselves to times when you've left the house?"

"That would be... very thoughtful, yes."

"It's better from a legal standpoint as well. I assume your bed is off-limits."

"Yes," she said, more quickly than she'd intended. She smiled, rueful. "You're good at this. I hadn't even considered any of those things."

"I've done this before," he said, and smiled.

"Lucius and Narcissa had a rule about their bed?" Remus asked. "Sorry, nosy, yes, but I thought that since they were sharing you anyway..."

"Nothing in their bed unless all three of us were present," Snape said.

"Ah," Remus said.

"You know," Tonks said, "details about my aunt's sex life might be too much information."

Snape blinked. "I hadn't thought about that. I'm sorry."

"No problem," she said. "So. Yes. Do it in your bed, not mine."

"Do I get a say in this?" Remus asked, plaintive.

"No," Snape said. "Your wife and I are going to set up a demanding rota for you, and I'm going to feed you potions so you can keep up with your daily quota."

Tonks laughed out loud. Remus tried to look stern and failed.

"That does bring up a point," Tonks said. "I, um. Do hope you're not planning on completely wearing him out every day before I get home from work."

"That would be rude of me, yes," Snape said. "Point taken." He took a sip of tea. "Displays of affection."

"Tasteful displays of affection are fine," Tonks said. "I'd rather not watch the two of you try to perform tonsillectomies with your tongues or anything like that."

"Tasteful," Snape said.

"Yes," Tonks said. "A kiss on the cheek, holding hands, that sort of thing is all right."

"Very well," Snape said. He turned to Remus. "Do you have any concerns at this point?"

"Oh, I get to speak now?" Remus said, but he was smirking. "I'm deeply concerned about that challenging rota you mentioned. I'm not as young as I used to be."

Snape snorted. "I'm thinking that you can sleep with your wife at 5am and 8pm and with me at 10am and 2pm Monday through Friday, with weekends and holidays off. You should start training now. I recommend a course of jogging and push-ups, as the potions won't help your cardiovascular health and upper body strength."

Tonks cackled, and Remus blushed and put his head down on the table.

"You never told me he was funny," Tonks said.

Snape smirked at her. She grinned back.

"What about the two of you?" Remus asked.

Snape and Tonks shared an uncomfortable glance.

"I'm just saying," Remus said, "that'd I'd feel hypocritical saying that they two of you... couldn't."

"I would never assume your lovely wife had abysmal enough taste to be interested in me," Snape said.

"What about me?" Remus retorted.

"Well," Snape said, "you're mad, aren't you?"

Tonks laughed again. They really did sound like an old married couple. "You're not that bad, potions boy."

Snape blushed. Actually blushed. It was adorable.

"He's got a certain way about him," Remus said.

"Yes," Tonks said. "Exactly." She smirked. "Besides, clearly you have excellent taste because you're married to me, so..."

"Precisely," Remus said.

Tonks batted her eyelashes at Snape. "You think I'm lovely?"

"I think," Snape said, "that I preferred it when we were ganging up on Remus."

#

Severus and Remus sat at the table with Tonks, eating breakfast. She was the only one who was dressed; the other two were in their dressing gowns.

"Let me see your foot," Severus said.

Remus rolled his eyes and put his foot on Severus' lap. "I'm certain it's revolting."

Severus unwrapped the bandages and smiled. The big toe was still black and burnt-looking, the other toes were varying shades of gray, but the rest of the foot looked healthy.

"That's an amazing improvement," Tonks said.

"I agree," Severus said.

Remus wriggled his toes. "I still think they're disgusting, but they don't feel bad."

Tonks stood and picked up her dishes. "Be good." She reached for Remus' and Severus' plates.

"We'll do the dishes," Severus said.

Tonks raised her eyebrows, then said, "Ta. See you tonight." She kissed Remus on the forehead, then walked over to the door. She turned back at the door, looking like she might say something, but instead she left and locked the door behind her.

Severus pulled out his wand and waved it. The dishes floated over to the sink and began to wash themselves. He picked up his tea cup and eyed Remus over it. Remus looked... curious? Eager? He smirked.

"Trying to stay on her good side, I see," Remus said.

"It's the least I can do," Severus said. The dishes rinsed themselves and stacked neatly into a drying rack. "Upstairs?"

Remus bit his lip and nodded.

They stood up and walked, silent, upstairs, and climbed up the ladder into the attic. Severus went first, then turned to watch and grab Remus if he needed to. He didn't.

"We probably can't arrange for Teddy to stay with his grandmother every day," Remus said.

Severus pulled off his dressing gown and dropped it onto the floor. He pulled Remus into a kiss. "There's so much I want to do to you," he whispered. "Everything. _Everything_ ."

He didn't know why they were whispering. They were alone in the house. But whispering felt right.

Remus pulled off his dressing gown, too. They kissed again, and then Severus maneuvered them closer to the bed. They fell onto it, making the bed squeak in protest.

"We only have a couple of hours," Remus whispered. "She'll be home at 5."

Severus kissed Remus deeply. "I love you." He moved down and began to unfasten Remus' pajama bottoms.

Remus was already hard for him, thick cock straining towards him. Yes. Severus gave Remus' cock an experimental lick. God, yes, the taste of him, just like he remembered. He wanted to rush, and also wanted to slow down and make it last forever. God, Remus. He took the shaft into his mouth and began to move his head slowly up and down. Remus was making the most amazing sounds, oh, he'd missed this, he'd missed this so much. He was so hard himself that he had to shift on the bed. He reached up and shoved Remus' pajama top up so he could see and feel skin and continued to suck.

Remus ran his fingers through Severus' hair. "Oh, yes. Please."

Such excellent manners. Severus lapped at the head, at the veiny underside, at the slit. Remus moaned and arched his hips up, hands tangling in Severus' hair, and Severus made a sympathetic noise in his throat and kept moving his head slowly up and down. He wanted to taste and feel every square inch of Remus. He wanted to fuck him hard and deep. He wanted to...

"God, please."

He cast a nonverbal lubrication spell and slipped two fingers in. Easy, so easy.

"Please."

Severus unfastened his pajama bottoms. He lifted Remus legs up over his shoulders and pressed his way in. Oh, God. So hot, so tight. He had to hold still for a moment to avoid coming on the spot.

"Do it," Remus whispered. "I want you."

And then he was thrusting, and the bed was shaking with it, and he reached a slippery hand up between them to grasp Remus' cock and stroke it in time. God. Perfect. Remus had that face he always made right before he came, oh, he'd missed that face, he'd missed Remus so much, he'd missed _this_ . Remus was moaning and writhing under him, and he was, oh, there were faint noises forcing their way out of his throat and he couldn't bring himself to care, oh, Remus. And then Remus came, hard, Severus' hand hot and wet and slippery and Remus throwing his head back and howling, and then he... oh, the moment of perfection, oh, Remus...

He pulled out and collapsed next to Remus. Remus pulled him into his arms and held him, kissing him fiercely.

"I love you, too," Remus whispered.

They lay there for a long time, cuddling and kissing, and finally Severus said, "We should shower and change before she gets home."

Remus raised a curious eyebrow.

"It's probably too much to have her come home and find us smelling like sex," Severus said. "And I plan to make dinner."

Remus burst out laughing. "You're trying to seduce her, aren't you?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "I'm merely trying to be considerate. If that reads as seduction to you, well."

"Afraid she'll change her mind?" Remus asked.

Severus didn't answer. Yes, but he would have tried to be considerate anyway.

"Come on," Remus said. "I'll wash your hair."

#

When Tonks came home, she found dinner waiting on the table and two clean, shaved, and neatly dressed men waiting for her.

Dinner smelled delicious. The house was clean. Remus and Snape looked cheerful and relaxed. Snape had _washed his hair_ . Teddy was sitting in his high chair and Remus was feeding him.

She was certain of what happened while she was gone, in general terms, but it wasn't bad. "Wotcher, Remus, Teddy. Snape." She wondered if she should start calling him by his first name. Then she wondered if he'd start calling her by her first name if she did and mentally shuddered.

Snape smiled at her--smiled!--and pulled out a chair. "I hope you like it. I don't cook very often." She sat, and he pushed her chair in. He then started placing dishes on the table. He'd made roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas...

"I offered to cook," Remus said, "but I decided that I should manage Teddy's dinner." He spooned the last bit into Teddy's mouth, then wiped his face with a napkin.

Dinner tasted as good as it smelled. "It's amazing. You can make dinner any time you like."

Snape smirked at her. "I seldom get the urge, but it's certainly more enjoyable to cook for more than one person."

Remus smiled at Snape. It was kind of a romantic, starry-eyed smile that gave her a momentary pang, but he seemed to realize that she'd noticed and looked down at his plate.

"It's all right," she said. She reached over and took his hand, and he looked up into her eyes. He looked anxious, so she gave his hand a squeeze.

There was an awkward silence, and then she looked over at Snape and said, "Would you rather I call you Snape or Severus?"

Snape blinked at her, then said, "Whichever you prefer."

She smiled. "No preference, Severus?"

All he said was, "Whichever makes you more comfortable," but there was something in his expression that made her think he was pleased.

She grinned and said, "As long as you don't call me Nymphadora."

"I can manage that," Severus said.

They were clearly trying very hard. It was kind of sweet. So she kept making conversation. "Did your mum teach you how to cook?"

Severus shrugged. "Not formally. I spent a lot of time with her in the kitchen at one point. She'd make potions in there, and cook at the same time. So she was really teaching me potions, but I picked up some cooking coincidentally."

"My dad had to teach my mum how to cook," she said. "She had no idea how, because she'd been raised in a home with a house elf, and was expected to marry into a home with a house elf. I remember her burning things when I was little, but by the time I went to school she was pretty good."

They chatted and ate, and then Remus left to put Teddy to bed.

"I don't suppose experimental divination gave you any insights into relaxing Remus?" Tonks asked.

"He'll be all right," Severus said. "When it turns out that nothing terrible happens and it becomes obvious even to him that you're not really angry."

"I suppose you're right," Tonks said. "The two of you are kind of adorable, you know."

Severus blushed, which made her smile. And then Remus was walking down the stairs.

"Let's just go up to bed," Tonks said.

"I'll clean up down here," Severus said, used his wand to direct the dishes into the sink, like he had this morning.

"Thank you," she said, and took her husband firmly by the hand and led him upstairs.

As she opened the bedroom door, it occurred to her to wonder if the idea of another man touching her husband turned her on. She pictured it in her head for a moment: Snape's dark head bobbing over her husband's cock. Yes. She wouldn't have expected it, but yes.

She pulled Remus into a kiss. He tasted of toothpaste and smelled of soap and shampoo. He'd clearly gone to some effort to remove the smell of another man on himself.

Remus blinked, but seemed agreeable. His hands came to her waist, and then to her hair. He pulled her closer, and she wrapped a leg around him. He moaned into her mouth, and she pulled him over to the bed. She pulled her t-shirt off over her head and tossed it onto the dresser.

She was never a shrinking violet in bed, but she found herself wondering if he'd like it if she was more aggressive than usual, so she gave him a twirl and a shove. He landed on the bed with a satisfying thump and looked up at her, lips parting slightly. He seemed to be breathing a little harder, too. She straddled his lap and started to pull his clothing off.

Remus reached up and ran his hands through her hair, then kissed her. She grew it out for him with a smile. He moaned softly and kissed her again. And then they were fumbling with each other's clothes, various items hitting the floor and random furniture. They fell on the bed together, naked, kissing, and she wondered if she was reassuring him or claiming him, or both. And then he whispered, "Dora," and she decided it didn't matter. She straddled him, and he groaned and reached up to touch her breasts as she started to move. It was over quickly for both of them, but that was all right. She collapsed across Remus, and he slipped out of her.

They cuddled up together under the covers, and Remus played with her hair a bit. She considered leaving it long for him sometimes, but she liked it short and out of the way. For a moment she thought he was going to say something, but then he seemed to change his mind and kissed her on the forehead instead.

She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, and he said, "I love you, Dora."

"I love you, too."

#

Sybill stood in the kitchen, waiting. Severus was supposed to come downstairs soon, and take her upstairs for more experimental divination. She wondered if it would be rude to go up to his attic and knock. But eventually she heard his feet on the stairs. She wondered what it meant that she could tell his steps from Remus' and Dora's. Well. Remus still had a slight limp, although it was fading.

At the top of the stairs, Severus called, "Would you like to come up?"

Sybill started up the stairs. Her various beads and bangles rattled as she went. He led her up to the attic ladder, and then preceded her into the attic.

Remus and Dora were waiting for her upstairs.

It was Dora who spoke first. "We were hoping that you could do some experimental divination with us."

Sybill considered this. The worst that would happen would be that it wouldn't work. On the other hand, "You might... see things." She glanced at Severus. "Things you might not want to see."

"I'll take that risk," Dora said. "Severus said we might see each other's memories, as well."

"All right," Sybill said. "It might not work, but I'll try it."

"Experimental," Severus said with a smirk.

"Yes," Sybill said. She reailzed that the four of them represented all four Hogwarts houses, and wondered if that would make a difference.

Severus looked at her, and then the familiar sense of pressure started. She let it happen.

_Another girl laughing at her when she got poor marks in Divination. A little dark haired boy hiding from four others, leading them to run into a Prefect... Malfoy. A grave. The sensation of turning._

Usually at this point they would slip sideways, but instead they turned--as one, she realized, although their vision was oddly doubled--to Remus. He blinked and swallowed, but stood his ground.

_Waking up in a cold field naked and covered with blood and scratches. Lying in the shrieking shack in a puddle of blood. Hiding in the Malfoy's wine cellar, waiting for Lestrange to come back, with her face and arm stinging. A wolf charging at a terrified teenager in a tunnel. Horror._

They turned to Dora, vision trebled. She shivered a little, but that was her only reaction.

_Moody patting her on the back. "Come on, you'll be fine." A wolf yipping joyfully and chasing a dog, who wrestled with him. Narcissa Black patting him on the back. "I thought the toenail growing hex was very funny, myself." Albus Dumbledore saying,, "There's no reason you can't come to Hogwarts, if precautions are taken." Professor Rider-Waite saying, "I think you might be very gifted."_

And then, at last, the sense of slipping sideways.

_The newspaper lying on the kitchen table front page had a headline on the front page, "Snape cleared of all charges," and a line under reading, "Order of Merlin, First Class." Remus leaned over and kissed Severus on the cheek._

_Dora leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, too. She was visibly pregnant, and patted her belly. "It'll be better if his or her father isn't a fugitive."_

_"It could be Remus'," Severus said. "And you won't be able to tell by appearance if it's a metamorphmagus like you and Teddy."_

_"Still keeping your escape options open?" Dora asked. Her voice sounded sad._

_"Trying not to get your hopes up?" Remus asked._

_"We'll see," Severus said. He looked down at the paper and smiled. "Order of Merlin. As I once told Sybill, that's better than sex."_

_"Then we're clearly doing it wrong, Potions boy," Dora said._

_"I agree wholeheartedly," Remus said. "Come to bed and we'll prove it."_

_Severus smirked. "I'd be happy to be proven wrong on this one particular occasion. By all means, show me your proof."_

The four of them blinked at each other. Dora was blushing.

"Erm," Sybill said. "Well. Would you like to try again?"

They nodded, but not in unison.

_Lips, kissing. Sybill couldn't tell whose; her eyes were closed. A curtain of white-blond hair. "You know, details about my aunt's sex life might be too much information." Remus moving above, then stretched out below, arching._

Slipping. Spinning.

_The room was clearly in Hogwarts--Professor's quarters--and there was a dining table set for five: Remus, Dora, Severus, an older Teddy, and a little black-haired girl. The little girl giggled and threw a pea across the table at Teddy._

_"Lily Andromeda Snape Lupin," Dora said, her voice very stern. Her hair changed from bubblegum pink to black._

_"Sorry," Lily said, sounding very small._

_"We've talked about throwing food," Severus said, but his voice was soft._

_She nodded, and Remus caught her eye and winked._

_"I saw that," Dora said, and Remus stared at his plate._

_Lily giggled._

They stared at each other for a moment, and then Dora said, "Maybe we should just leave it there, for the time being."

#

The three of them seemed awkward the next morning at breakfast. No one seemed to want to say anything. They ate in silence, and then, finally, Severus said, "Let me see that foot."

Remus propped his foot up on Severus' thigh. "It was less revolting the last time I looked."

The faintest hint of a smile crossed Severus' face. He unwrapped the bandages. The end of Remus' big toe was a little gray, but the rest of the foot looked perfectly healthy.

"That's amazing," Tonks said.

"You'll have to continue the burn draught until that discoloration is gone, of course," Severus said.

"Some day," Remus said, "you'll stop giving me disgusting things to drink."

"You'd better hope I don't," Severus said.

Remus considered this. "Point."

They really were adorable together, which somehow gave her the strength to ask what was on her mind. "How accurate is this experimental divination of yours and Sybill's?"

"Thus far," Severus said, "it appears to be very accurate. Granted, we've used it to prevent unwanted futures, so it's not... fated."

"I see," Tonks said.

"So," Severus continued, "it's not like you're doomed to... you know."

"Sleep with you," Tonks said. It seemed more helpful to be specific.

Severus blushed. "Yes. It's not... written in stone."

Tonks had always wanted a daughter. That didn't seem like a helpful observation, however, so she just shrugged.

She glanced over at Remus, who was smiling. She raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged.

"If it's going to happen," Tonks said, "maybe we should just let it happen. I mean, we looked happy."

Severus' blush deepened, and he mumbled, "We did," while staring at his breakfast plate.

She laid a hand over Severus' for a moment. His hand was cold. He seemed tense, so she patted it and then went back to breakfast.

It took Severus a few moments to recover, but eventually he went back to eating. Remus left his foot where it was, she noticed. She smiled quietly to herself.

Once they'd finished breakfast, she looked over at Remus, who quirked an eyebrow at her. She tilted her head. He looked over at Severus, then back at her, and raised his eyebrows at her again. She wasn't sure what he was asking, so she shrugged.

Remus gave her an affectionately exasperated look, then cleared his throat. "If I suggested the three of us go upstairs together, what would the two of you say?"

"I don't want to make Severus uncomfortable," she said. "If this is too awkward..."

"I would never presume to think your lovely wife was interested in me," Severus said.

"I think my lovely wife is interested in you, Severus."

Tonks realized she was blushing, too. Severus looked up at her, then back at Remus. "I think you're embarrassing her."

"And you think she's lovely," Remus continued. "Clearly, you have excellent taste."

They were both blushing now and avoiding each other's eyes."

"And," Remus said, "I'm greedy."

She realized that both she and Severus were staring at Remus, who started blushing, too. She started to laugh. "Aren't we a sight? Like a bunch of shy teenagers!"

Remus laughed, too. The corner of Severus' mouth quirked up into a smile.

"We'll just sleep," Remus said. "We've done that before."

"All right," Severus said, and turned to her. "If it's all right with you, of course."

"It is," she said with a smile.

They stood then, and went upstairs. They'd just gotten out of bed, she realized, but she decided that she didn't really want to point this out.

Remus lay down on the bed and eyed the two of them expectantly. She looked over at Severus, who now had a bemused expression. He sat on the edge of the bed and quietly removed his shoes, then lay down next to Remus.

She lay down on the other side and put her head on Remus' shoulder. Severus appeared to consider this a moment, then shrugged slightly and laid his head on Remus' other shoulder. She couldn't see his eyes, just his lips and his hand on Remus' chest.

Remus sighed happily, which made her smile. One corner of Severus' mouth quirked upwards, which made her smile broaden.

She wasn't sure she could sleep, but she could definitely get used to this.

#

Remus smiled as Severus' breathing slowed, became more even. He moved closer, wrapping a leg around Remus. His hand contracted, then edged up towards his other shoulder. It stopped when it contacted Dora's collarbone.

Dora raised her head up and glanced at Severus, then looked at Remus. "I probably won't be able to sleep," she whispered.

"It's all right," Remus whispered back. "He's a heavy sleeper, and he can fall asleep almost any time." She looked surprised, so he added, "Yeah, you wouldn't think it."

Dora laid her head back on Remus' shoulder and placed her hand over Severus'. "The two of you are really adorable together," she whispered. "I've thought so for some time."

Remus felt his cheeks heat, but didn't say anything. He just pulled Dora closer.

This was enough. This was bliss. Both the people he loved in his arms. He'd called himself greedy, but if this was wrong he didn't want to be right.

And Dora had been right; they'd looked happy in Sybill's vision. He wanted that future. He didn't want to pressure Severus and Dora, but he didn't want their embarrassment to get in the way, either. Maybe he should just relax and let it happen.

Severus, still asleep, nuzzled into his neck. Dora huffed out a soft, amused breath and relaxed against him.

#

When Severus woke, Dora had her hand over his and the two of them were snuggled up to Remus. Well. That made sense; he was their point of connection, after all. He lifted his head and peered around Remus' neck at her. There was something in her expression that...

Remus was right. Dora was interested in him.

Well, then. He wasn't someone to tempt rejection when it carried these kinds of risks, but...

He raised his head and looked at her, tilting his head slightly. Her eyes focused on his lips. He leaned in, slowly, to give her a chance to turn him down, and then kissed her, slow and deep.

He pulled away slightly and glanced at Remus to gauge his reaction. Remus was watching with wide eyes and parted lips. He turned his eyes back to Dora. Her eyes were still closed, her head turned towards him.

He smirked and kissed her again. They leaned together, kissing over Remus.

They stopped there, and settled down on either side again.

"Do you want me to leave?" Remus asked.

Severus and Dora eyed each other across Remus' chest.

"Right," Remus said. "I'll just go check on Teddy." He sat up and wriggled his way to the foot of the bed, then left.

Severus and Dora looked each other over, curious. Then Dora laid a hand on his chest and leaned forward and kissed him again.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for more than kissing," she said.

"There's no rush," he answered.

"No," she said. "I suppose there's not." And then she kissed him again.

He wanted that future--even wanted a daughter, much to his surprise--but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

They had time.

#

THE THIRD FULL MOON

Tonks watched Severus wince at the Remus' screams. She agreed wholeheartedly. She reached out and took his hand and squeezed it. _He let her._

And then there was a wolf watching them, wagging his tail at them, smiling a big dog smile. She smiled back.

Next to her, Severus closed his eyes and let out a long breath. She squeezed his hand again, then pulled him over to the bed. They lay down, awkward, and Remus bounded up between them in wolf form and lay on his back with his feet in the air. She burst out laughing, and rubbed his belly. And then they curled up together.

Severus was asleep first, much to her surprise. Remus threw his head back and put his paws over the blanket, which was hilarious, but she didn't laugh out loud because she didn't want to wake the two of them up. She curled up with her arm around Remus, like he was a giant furry pillow, and dozed off.

She was awakened by moaning. Remus had slipped off the bed and was writhing on the floor, clawing at his face. He screamed rather than howled, and the scream became human rather than animal.

She and Severus picked him up together and laid him gently in the bed. Severus disapparated with a CRACK!, then returned--CRACK!--with the goblet of pain potion. Remus drank it, then collapsed against the pillows. They sat on either side of him and petted his hair and held his hands. Severus' face was blank, impassive, but he waited, patient, for Remus to sleep.

Severus stood, moving slowly to avoid waking Remus, and walked over to the window. He was shaking a little, so she stood equally carefully and went over and hugged him. He pulled away and looked at her for a moment, and there was something in his eyes that...

She kissed him, and he pulled her close, his fingers running through her hair, his hand reaching down and caressing her buttocks...

CRACK!

They were in the attic, and he was reaching up under her pajamas and cupping her breast. Forward, wasn't he? But she supposed there wasn't much point in pretending she wasn't interested in the future they'd seen with Sybill. In _him_ .

She pulled away long enough to unbutton and remove his pajama top. He was thin and pale, but it looked good on him. He had muscles in his arms, probably from cauldron work, and she ran a finger down them before kissing him again. And then she stepped back and unbuttoned her own pajama top, slowly, head cocked, teasing. He bit his lip, watching.

It occurred to her that she could be Remus for him, but she liked that he seemed to want _her_ .

She slipped out of her pajama bottoms and stood there naked. She noticed a shift in the crotch of his pajama bottoms and smirked at him. Then she pulled him close and kissed him, pulling them carefully over his cock and pushing them down over his hips. They fell to the floor.

She took his hands and pulled him to the bed. She needed this, warm human touch from someone who felt the same way she did about what had just happened, what happened every month. They lay down, careful, and he smiled at her, a self-deprecating smile, and said, "I might be out of practice."

He settled down between her legs and very gently ran his tongue up, opening her. She gasped. He started to lick, kiss, lap, his finger slipping inside her, another hand reaching up to her clit. He was _not_ out of practice... or, if he was, he hadn't forgotten anything. Not a single thing. Another finger, more licking. And then he did something where she couldn't separate out the sensations, all she knew was that she was filled and his tongue and...

She hadn't expected to have an orgasm quite that quickly. He immediately stopped touching her clit, which was good because it became too sensitive for that at times like this, and started to lick again, slowly. "Severus," she whispered. And then his fingers started to move again, and the faintest brush of his tongue over her clit, and she came again.

He looked up at her then, and she whispered, "You're not out of practice." She beckoned and patted the bed next to her.

He lay down next to her, looking almost shy, and she grinned at him and straddled him. He bit his lip and reached up to run his hands up her sides, under her breasts.... And then a wet finger circling her clit while she rode him.

She tossed back her head, and he began to move under her, thrusting against her. She gasped. He flipped her onto her back. She preferred being on top, but he'd earned it. And then he groaned, deep and throaty, and stilled.

He moved to lie beside her rather than collapsing on top of her, and she smiled and brushed his hair out of her face. "Not bad, Potions boy," she said. "You seem to remember what you're doing."

He smirked. "Good to know."

She was going to end up in the wet spot, but didn't care. "When do you think Remus will wake up?"

"Probably in a couple of hours," he said. "The pain potion has something in it to help that along."

"I think we should be there when he does," she said.

He nodded, and she curled up next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

#

Remus put his bare foot on Severus' lap and took a sip of tea. It looked like a normal foot, and Severus looked pleased.

The knock took them by surprise. Remus jumped and put his foot back on the floor. Severus tiptoed up the stairs with his breakfast plate, as Dora called, "Who is it?"

"Kingley," the voice on the other side of the door called. "Am I too early?"

Tonks glanced over her shoulder towards the stairs, then opened the door. "We're having breakfast."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Kingsley said. "I had a few questions about the attack on the two of you. Namely, well. We examined the attackers' memories in a pensieve, and..."

"I have no idea who that was," Dora said. "It must have been a Good Samaritan."

Kingsley eyed her skeptically. Dora didn't react.

"Why do you want to know?" Remus asked. "Do you want to pin a medal on whomever it was?"

"I'd like to hire them to handle my security."

Remus and Dora looked at each other, but didn't say anything.

"Remus, Tonks," Kingsley said. "Come on. It's me."

"I'm not saying I know who it was," Dora said. "But it's possible that there are people who still have charges against them that haven't been dropped yet because they've been presumed dead...."

"I see," Kingsley said. "That would certainly explain the disguise." He considered this a moment. "I don't suppose this person might be an Order member?"

"I couldn't say, since I don't know who it is," Dora said. "I suppose anything is possible."

"Right," Kingsley said. "Well. I suppose I should have someone look into posthumously dropping charges. Maybe throwing in an Order of Merlin for some people?"

"I'm sure," Remus said, "that I trust your judgment on that."

"Whomever it is," Kingsley said, "they were an amazing duelist. Well. There were two of them, but one of them did most of the fighting." He leaned against the kitchen counter, crossed his arms, and cocked his head. "I don't suppose you could tell me who the other one was, could you?"

"Sorry," Dora said. "No idea."

Kingsley eyed the third chair that was pushed away from the table. Then he gave Remus and Dora an appraising look, and Remus was suddenly very aware that they were both in their dressing gowns and felt his cheeks burn. Then Kingsley eyed the stairs. "Right," he said, and pushed away from the counter. "I'll be going. Lots of paperwork, it seems."

"Thanks for stopping by," Dora said.

#

Severus stared down at the newspaper lying on the kitchen table. "Snape cleared of all charges," and a line under reading, "Order of Merlin, First Class." Remus leaned over and kissed Severus on the cheek. Severus smiled.

Tonks leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, too. Her belly was visibly larger than usual, and her hand over it added to the impression that... "It'll be better if his or her father isn't a fugitive."

"It could be Remus'," Severus said, then stopped, realizing that he was quoting the vision they'd seen. He looked down at the paper and almost commented on the Order of Merlin, but...

There was a knock at the door, but this one was expected. Minerva had owled asking if she could come over.

Tonks opened the door. "Wotcher, Minnie!"

Minerva gave Tonks a withering look--deservedly, Severus felt--and bustled in and hugged Severus. Severus tried not to flinch.

"I'm so pleased you're alive," she said. " _So_ very pleased."

"Thank you," Severus mumbled. He didn't know where to put his hands, and ended up patting her on the back. So awkward.

Minerva pulled away and smiled at him, looking understanding. Then she said, "I'd like to offer you a job. Horace wants to retire again, and Remus, we need another Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. You're widely regarded as the best we've had in decades."

"Sybill will like that," Severus said.

Remus snickered.

"Severus has another job offer on the table," Tonks said. "Bodyguard to the Minster of Magic. He might..."

"Oh, _fuck_ no," Severus said.

"Good," Remus said, "because I want the entire family to move into Hogwarts, and Severus is family."

Minerva blinked, and looked like she might say something, but then appeared to change her mind. "We might... be able to arrange something. It's not traditional to have non-student children at Hogwarts--I think Argus was the last one--but..."

Tonks beamed and put an arm around Severus' shoulder. Then she put her other arm around Remus and pulled them close to her. "We're moving to Hogwarts, boys. Pack up your things."

Minerva opened her mouth to say something to that.

"It's no use," Tonks said. "Sybill foretold it."


End file.
